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Louisiana K-12 schools get 'panic button' app

When U.S. Sen. Huey Long was shot on a first floor hallway in the Louisiana Capitol that he built, bullets were flying from everywhere. A plaque and glass display now mark the spot where he was shot and where tour guides say a bullet remains lodged.

All of Louisiana's K-12 schools will have access to an app this fall that will allow teachers to instantly alert their colleagues and law enforcement during an emergency such as an active shooter on campus.

Gov. John Bel Edwards and State Police Superintendent Kevin Reeves rolled out the RAVE Mobile Safety App Thursday at Neville High School in Monroe, where he said the technology is available to the state's public and private schools.

Gov. John Bel Edwards says all K-12 school will have access to an app designed to allow teachers to instantly alert their colleagues and law enforcement during an emergency such as an active shooting on campus. He made the announcement Thursday at Neville High School in Monroe.(Photo: Greg Hilburn/USA Today Network)

As soon as a teacher pushes the app's "panic button" a 911 call is dispatched and other staff and first-responders are alerted simultaneously.

"Every second counts in maximizing safety on school campuses," Edwards said.

"This technology is a huge step in providing educators the means to quickly communicate with law enforcement," Reeves said.

“Today we are taking a step forward in making our schools safer with technology that will dramatically improve reporting and response times for teachers and other educators who face emergency situations while in their classrooms,” Edwards said. “While we hope and pray that the safety of our children and their teachers is never compromised, it’s our hope that this technology will assist in protecting our schools.”

Although school shootings have dominated the news, the app also allows its users to alert for other emergencies like fires or medical. It identifies the type of emergency and the location of the incident.

Commissioning the app is one of the suggestions made by the Blue Ribbon School Safety Commission Edwards created.

“I am extremely proud of the work of my fellow commission members, including our parish and local law enforcement partners and the efforts of the men and women of the Louisiana State Police that helped bring this technology to Louisiana,” Reeves said.

Louisiana Schools Superintendent John White said it's the state's duty to provide as much protection as possible for students and school staff.

“As tragedies at schools have escalated, leaders in education, law enforcement, and emergency response have collaborated to strengthen preparedness and crisis management,” White said in a statement. “Among those efforts, we have explored the use of new technologies, like the mobile app announced today, that may prove beneficial in quickly and effectively responding to an on-site emergency.

"Every child and every educator deserves to feel safe in their classrooms, and it’s our duty to put into place every measure to ensure that’s possible.”

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1